A Shoulder to Cry On
by maldonadohumberto2001
Summary: A traumatized Peter Parker finds comfort in one of his closest friends. (Far From Home AU/Post-Endgame, assuming the Snap is reversed lol)


"Mr. Stark... I don't feel so good."

"I don't wanna go. I don't wanna go, Mr. Stark, please! I don't wanna go... I don't wanna go..."

"I'm sorry."

Peter woke up sweating and gasping for air.

"Shit..." He mumbled to himself while rubbing his face. The memory was still fresh in his brain. He still vividly recalled everything; the confusion that went through his head while seeing his new friends vanish into thin air, the pain he felt while being reduced to dust, and most of all, the immense fear he experienced upon realizing that his time had come. While Thanos had been defeated and the world was brought back to normal, every time he dreamed of this moment, it felt just like it was happening again. He turned around to look at the other bed, and saw Ned sleeping like a baby and snoring like broken-down truck. It was his second day in London, and him and his friends were lucky enough to get a really nice suite hotel. He looked over at the clock, which marked 2:00 AM. Sighing, Peter got out of bed and put his jacket on, and left the room. He walked downstairs to the lounge, which was nearly empty save for one familiar face. Michelle was sitting on one of the armchairs, reading a book. Peter's heart skipped a beat by seeing her. He walked over to the couch accross from where she was sitting, and he sat down. "What are you doing here so late?" Peter asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." she closed her book, and her eyes widened a bit once she got a good look at Peter. He did not look good at all. His hair was all over the place, he was sweating a little, and his eyes were red with bags under them. "You look like shit." she said in her usual serious tone.

"Thanks, MJ. You're a big help." Peter said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and put his hand on his face, with his fingers spread all over it. Michelle closed her book and got up. She then took a seat right next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong, Parker?" Peter sighed.

"More nightmares..." he responded.

Michelle remained silent. She knew exactly what Peter was talking about. The Decimation was a horrible event. While she had survived, the had to witness the fallout of the event. Planes and helicopters fell from the sky, cars crashed everywhere, nuclear facilities all over the world blew up, and economies and governments crashed immediately. But none of this mattered much to her. What really afected her was losing Peter. She called him hundreds of times, and he didn't answer. She then went to Peter's home, finding nothing but a heartbroken Aunt May, who tearfully broke the news that Peter was nowhere to be found. Today, everything was back to normal, and Peter had returned, be she could still remember the horrors of the event.

"Fifth night in a row that I've lost sleep." Peter spoke with a half-broken voice, interrupting Michelle from her own thoughts. He began breathing heavily as tears flowed in his eyes. "I don't know what to do..." Michelle slowly pulled him into a warm hug, completely dropping her tough girl persona in exchange for her softer side. Peter held on to her, tears now flowing freely from his eyes and soaking Michelle's shirt. She didn't give a crap. Peter needed her right now, and she was determined to help him get better. He was not faring well at all. When the nightmares started, they plagued him constantly. He also occasionally had panic attacks in class. It got to the point where May took him to a psychologist, who diagnosed him with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. May, Happy, Tony, and Pepper were all skeptical of letting him go on a trip to Europe, but Mr. Harrington and his classmates swore to keep an eye on him. Even the amazing Spider-man needed a shoulder to cry on, and that was Michelle. Everytime he recovered from an anxiety attack, he thought of her. She calmed him down. Hell, she was most likely the only reason Peter had not gone insane. It was all too much for him. His disappearance and the weight of his failure to protect the universe were like a boulder crushing an ant. But Michelle was always there for him. She was not willing to leave Peter alone, as it shattered her heart to see him in this state.

After a few minutes, the tears stopped, and Peter was able to relax a bit, but he still held on to Michelle for a little longer. She had a tight and warm hold on him. After what felt like an eternity, Peter pulled away from the embrace. "Thanks, Michelle..." he sighed and leaned back again. "Sorry for being such a burden during the past two weeks." Michelle pulled him up again. Their faces were only about two inches away from eachother. "Peter, I don't give a damn if you soak my shirt in your tears. Whenever you need help, I WILL be there. You're not getting away from me." Peter stared at her. She wasn't just a friend who was willing to help out at this point. He saw the look in her eyes. It screamed a mix of determination and intense concern. She really cared about him. "I know I may come off as an asshole from time to time, but I'm always here for you, Peter. No matter what." Peter remained silent, noticing the slight blush emanating from Michelle's cheeks, and his face feeling quite hot as well. They soon got lost in eachother's eyes, entering some sort of trance that they couldn't break. Seconds later, they slowly closed the distance between them, and their lips met in a sweet and gently kiss that conveyed more than just something like a highschool crush. What was sprouting between them was love. Pure and genuine love. What Peter felt for Michelle was thousands of times greater than what he felt for Liz. MJ was definitely a keeper. After a few seconds of locking their lips, Peter pulled away.

"Uh...-"

"Don't." Michelle interrupted him by pressing her finger on his lips. She then leaned back, her eyes feeling kind of heavy. Peter started feeling sleepy as well, and only minutes later, they drifted off. Peter made it through the rest of night, in what felt like the best sleep he'd had in ages. It was all thanks to her.

The next morning, Ned noticed that Peter was not in the room. He exited the room to go look for him, and when he reached the lounge he found Peter and Michelle, still asleep on the couch. Michelle was nuzzled against Peter's chest like a cat. Ned chuckled and went up to them. "Uh... guys." As soon as they heard Ned's voice, Peter and Michelle both bolted their heads up. Michelle got off of Peter faster than Ned could blink, blushing furiously. Ned laughed. "You guys should head back to your rooms before Mr. Harrington gets up."

"Right." Peter and Michelle responded in unison. Ned raised and eyebrow at this as he walked back upstairs. Peter and Michelle followed him. Peter smiled the whole way up. He was on the right path with Michelle, and things were bound to get better, having her at his side.


End file.
